how to lose weight at age 44

[Anonymous]

I'm 44 and I'm gained about 25 pounds over the past 18 months (currently 160 at 5'6") Whatever I do, I can't lose the weight and in fact, it keeps creeping on. At a baseline I eat 1500 calories a day--have done this for about 10 years to maintain my previous weight of 135.
I recently did 6 weeks of intermittent fasting (only eating from 2pm-8pm and keeping it at under 1200 calories). I gained weight. I have not exercised in recent years (besides living a non-stop life with 3 kids) but 4 weeks ago I started walking 3 miles a day, 5 days per week religiously. Back to eating 1500 calories a day. Have gained about 5 pounds in the month (since I stopped the intermittent fasting).
I guess I need to cut calories below 1200 and do vigorous exercise but I just can't function well on that little food. It's difficult for me to go all day at work while hungry, let alone have the ability to exercise vigorously. Any thoughts? Am I just beyond hope with a mid 40's metabolic slow-down?

[Anonymous]

Have you tried clean keto?

I wonder if your hormones are out of balance.

Apparently keto helps with hormone levels.

[Anonymous]

It’s pretty easy to eat only 1200 calories a day when you’re doing keto (at 20 grams carbs — whole, not net — my appetite dies). But I don’t know whether that kind of calorie restriction will help you lose weight faster. Even though I know that calories in calories out is the key to everything, I don’t lose weight when I drop so low, I have to stay at around 1400 - 1450 to see movement on the scale. Women’s bodies are weird. It’s like evolution wants us to be chubby.

[Anonymous]

check thyroid?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:check thyroid?

+1 have your thyroid levels checked.

[Anonymous]

Op here. FSH was at the lowest end of normal but I had them send a free T4 which was totally normal so it’s not a thyroid issue.
I don’t lose weight on 1500 calories a day. I could eat that indefinitely and would stay at 165.

[Anonymous]

I did lose weight on keto about 5 years ago but I find that really hard to maintain—It tried it last year and only lasted a couple of weeks and lost no weight. I was definitely in ketosis-had almost zero carbs for 2 weeks but my body held on to the weight. When I did it 5 years ago it took something like 6 weeks of no carbs (not a single fruit or vegetable-just eggs and cheese and meat) to lose 5 pounds. That is really hard to do-I felt sickly.

[Anonymous]

I am 45, 5’6” and is able to drop 20 pounds from 160 since beginning of this year. I eat 1200 calories a day, walk 1 mile everyday. I have an inactive office job with long commute, so it is possible at this age.

[Anonymous]

I am 44, lost 20 or so lbs in the past year; low 140s to low 120s over 6 months. I've kept it off for 6 months. I was like you in that the weight crept on (and clothes are so stretchy and vanity sized now that I hadn't even really noticed) and I had thought I had really tried to take it off.

These are my thoughts:

I'd stick with IF for a bit longer. Maybe do 12-8 so it is more sustainable. I had tried IF in the past, and feel like maybe I didn't give it long enough.
Add at least two days of weight training a week. A 45 minute full body cycle. I just do the machines, which some people are opposed to, but it works for me.
Get in at least 3 days of hard cardio (run, swim, really push it on the elliptical).
I wouldn't cut any more calories- I would make sure that your calorie count is accurate.
In addition to the regular exercise, walk whenever you possibly can. To the grocery, a 10 minute walk after dinner, park your car farther away.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

I am 43 have lost ~10 lbs over the past few months and my older H has lost several times that so this is where my response I coming from. I do not need to eat the same as I did 10 years ago. Neither does he. Not about whether we think we should or not, it just turns out to be true. Walking is good but I have to do sine running...even just say 3 times a week. It is not easy this side of 40 and what used to be minor slips or transgressions no linger are minor.

[Anonymous]

As someone who has counted millions of calories I can tell you that before I did anything, I would go for one month and count, truly count, every calorie.

I would also go online and figure out what your BMR is and get a budget for calories, then back out maybe 200 or 300 a day in an effort to lose a half pound a week. My experience with myself and others is that what feels like 1500 is actually 1700 or more and that frankly as you get older your metabolism slows a bit so the 1500 you needed to maintain before is 1300 now.

It is extremely unlikely that any of these other issues are to blame - hormones, thyroid, etc - your body has a calorie balance. Staying too far under it for any length of time is difficult so the trick is to stay slightly under it for an extended period of time to gain some weight loss and work out to burn some more calories as a bonus.

Track every single calorie in and out and check your BMR.

[Anonymous]

I am 49 and have lost 15 pounds since April 1 (down to 160 from 175). I've done it by following a more aggressive form of weight watchers during the week (basically only eating 0 point foods and non fat dairy, i.e. no carbs/sweets/alcohol). During the weekend, I relax the rules. While it's not the most exciting food ever, I'm rarely hungry and have adapted fairly well.

For exercise, I have a peloton bike which I use four/five times a week for 30 to 45 minutes. On the peloton bike, I burn approximately 200 calories per 15 minute increment.

[Anonymous]

I am 54, I have lost 6 pounds over the last month on WW, 5’4” and from 170 to 164, my goal is 140. I do eat my smart points but usually not all of them and sometimes I use my weeklies but I have had about 2/3 of them left at the end of a week. I usually use most of my smart points for dinner with my family and I drink wine on the weekends.

I walk a good amount and do yoga. On my Apple Watch I burn 500-650 calories a day and close my exercise circle 5 of 7 days. I also focus on getting enough quality sleep and use my watch to track that as well.

The zero points foods really help to manage the hunger in the afternoons that has always been my weak point.

[Anonymous]

What are your blood sugars? If high, that may make it difficult IF will help on that but you may need a little more. Are you very sedentary during most of day

I am similar but exercise. Just to maintain my weight , I have to do IF 16-8 and 30 minutes rigorous exercise 6x a week (peloton / running) plus core/strength also med Active during day on top of that - ie make sure I walk, stand etc. it’s not that it’s a lot but I have tracker to remind me as have desk job. Walk during conference calls when I can.

To lose 1.5 lb a month - I have to do a lot more

It’s a pain sometimes but at least these things are all healthy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am 45, 5’6” and is able to drop 20 pounds from 160 since beginning of this year. I eat 1200 calories a day, walk 1 mile everyday. I have an inactive office job with long commute, so it is possible at this age.

+1. I'm 48 and have lost 9 pounds this last month following WW. I set out to lose 10 lbs. I have no idea how many calories I consume, but I haven't been hungry on the plan. I haven't exercised much the last few weeks due to runner's knee.